September 29, 2020

The conflicts of the future will mainly be fought out in cyberspace. In this fast-moving digital battlefield, the speed of innovation can make the difference between victory and defeat. This is why the establishment of so-called "military innovation units" has long been a global success story. Led by the "start-up nation" Israel, which is the world leader in cyber security, more and more armed forces are responding to specific security threats with innovative methods.
The German Armed Forces are also focusing on a cultural change towards more innovative and entrepreneurial thinking.

We want to find answers to the strategic challenges of tomorrow already today. This is why we are discussing with high-level experts what the Bundeswehr can achieve in the area of conflict between the start-up scene, science and society. How can obstacles to development in the defense sector be overcome and innovation cycles shortened? How can hierarchical command structures and entrepreneurial freedom be combined? How can the increased need for security and the necessary discretion in military procurement be reconciled with the open and partnership-based approach of the "sharing economy"? And finally: What are the effects of digital innovations in the armed forces and in society and where are the limits of the Bundeswehr? We always want to bear in mind that - whether it's the Internet, digital photography or the GPS positioning system - the armed forces have always been the pioneers and drivers of civilian progress.

Online event (zoom)

Admiral Christian Bock
Commander of Operation Flotilla 1 and Director of the COECSW of NATO in Kiel

Sven Weizenegger
Head of the Cyber Innovation Hub of the German Armed Forces

Thomas Jarzombek
MdB (CDU), Representative of the BMWi for Digital Economy and Start-Ups

Andreas Dunsch
Managing Director FlyNex

Franziska Schwarzmann
Moderation